Collar control device

ABSTRACT

A collar control system includes a shirt and a collar control device. The shirt includes a collar portion coupled to a neck portion. The collar portion defines a first pocket. The collar control device includes an elongated strip having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and a bendable portion adapted for forming a transverse fold in the collar control device. The first end of the collar control device is sized and configured to be received within the first pocket.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/318,509, filed Apr. 5, 2016, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of professions and employers are shifting away from traditional “business” wear to a “business casual” dress code. “Business casual” dress codes typically require employees to wear a dress shirt but does not require the dress shirt to be worn with a tie. When worn without a tie, the collar of a dress shirt is not maintained in an ideal position, but naturally splays lying at least partially flat against the body of the shirt, and in some cases substantially perpendicular to the neck portion of the shirt. Although “business casual” dress codes are becoming more common, professionals still desire a shirt that maintains a crisp and clean appearance in their dress.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a shirt having a collar configured to receive a collar control device, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a collar control device, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates the collar of FIG. 1 having the collar control device of FIG. 2 coupled thereto, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates a shirt having a collar control device coupled to a first side of a collar portion and a second side of the collar portion without a collar control device, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates the first side of the collar portion of FIG. 4, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate various embodiments of a collar control device;

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate one embodiment of a two-ply collar having at least one hole configured to receive a portion of a collar control device therein; and

FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of two-ply shirt having at least one hole configured to receive a portion of a collar control device therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description of the preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In this description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both moveable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise, and includes terms such as “directly” coupled, secured, etc. The term “operatively coupled” is such an attachment, coupling, or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship.

In various embodiments, a collar control system is disclosed. The collar control system includes a collar control device and a shirt configured to receive the collar control device.

The collar control device comprises an elongated strip having a first portion and a second portion. At least a portion of the elongated strip is bendable to allow the first portion to be positioned at a selected angle with respect to the second portion. The first end is sized and configured to be received within a pocket, sleeve, and/or button hole formed on an underside of a collar of the shirt. The second end is sized and configured to be received within a pocket, sleeve, and/or button hole formed on a neck portion of the shirt. The collar control device is sized and configured to maintain the collar of the shirt at a selected angle and/or spacing with respect to the neck portion of the shirt. In some embodiments, the collar control system is configured to maintain the collar in a position similar to that of the collar when the shirt is worn with a tie. As used herein, “bendable” is intended to have its common meaning and include a material that can be shaped (bent) by force exerted by the user's hands and then retain that shape until another external force is exerted. As will be understood, whether a particular element of the collar control device is bendable will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the material it is made from and the thickness of the material or strip. For example, aluminum foil is bendable, but aluminum can also be used for form structural beams (e.g., an I-beam).

FIGS. 1-5 illustrates one embodiment of a collar control system 100 including a shirt 2 and a collar control device 4 coupled thereto. The shirt 2 includes a collar portion 6 and a neck portion 8. The collar portion 6 extends at least partially circumferentially about and is coupled to the neck portion 8. In some embodiments, the collar portion 6 defines a first pocket or sleeve 10. The first pocket 10 is sized and configured to receive a first portion 24 of a collar control device 4 therein. A second pocket or sleeve 12 is coupled to the neck portion 8 of the shirt 2 and is sized and configured to receive a second portion 26 of the collar control device 4 therein. In some embodiments, the collar portion 6 includes a third pocket or sleeve 14 sized and configured to receive a collar stay (not shown) therein.

In some embodiments, the third pocket 14 can be adapted to receive the collar control device 4, and the second pocket 12 can be positioned accordingly. In other words, the third pocket 14 functions as the first pocket 10 in some embodiments. In other embodiments, for example as discussed herein with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7, one or more of the pockets/sleeves can be replaced with a button opening and/or omitted.

In some embodiments, a collar control device 4 is inserted into the first pocket 10 and the second pocket 12 to maintain the collar portion 6 in a fixed position and/or orientation with respect to the shirt 2 and/or neck portion 8. The collar control device 4 can include an elongated strip 16 having a first portion 24 and a second portion 26. The elongated strip 16 can be or include rigid, flexible, and/or semi-flexible strip(s) of material. In some embodiments, some or all of the elongated strip 16 is made of a metal material. For example, in some embodiments, the bendable portion can be made of a material selected from a metal, an alloy, and a plastic/polymer. Examples of metals that can be bendable and/or malleable include, but are not limited to, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, tin, lead, zinc, and iron. In some embodiments, a sub-portion of the first portion 24 and/or the second portion 26 includes a bendable material and the remainder of the first and second portions 24, 26 be formed of a rigid material.

In some embodiments, the elongated strip 16 has a bend point 22 which may be located at any point along the elongated strip 16, such as, for example, a mid-point (see FIG. 6A). In some embodiments, the elongated strip 16 folds and/or curves at the bend point 22 to define a first portion 24 and a second portion 26. The first portion 24 extends from the first end 18 to the midpoint 22 and the second section 26 extends from the midpoint 22 to the second end 20. In other embodiments, the elongated strip 16 is a continuous strip of material that may be bent (i.e., the material may be adapted to maintain the collar portion 6 in a desired position but also be workable and/or malleable) at any point along the length of the elongated strip 16. In other embodiments, the elongated strip 16 can include a bendable portion and a rigid portion. The bendable portion can define the bend point 22 between a first rigid portion 24 and a second rigid portion 26.

In some embodiments, the collar control device 4 includes a plurality of reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b coupled to a first portion 24 and/or a second portion 26. The reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b can be coupled to a first side of the elongated strip 16 (see FIG. 6B) and/or a second side of the elongated strip 16 (see FIG. 6C). The reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b are configured to provide additional stability to the first portion 24 and/or the second portion 26 during bending and/or positioning of the collar control device 4. In some embodiments, the reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b prevent the collar control device 4 from bending where the reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b are located. In some embodiments, the reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b can be made of the same material as the rest of the elongated strip 16, while the reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b can be made of a different material from the rest of the elongated strip 16 in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b can be adhered to the rest of the elongated strip. In some embodiments, the reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b can slide over a portion of the rest of the elongated strip either with or without being adhered to the rest of the elongated strip. The reinforcing strips 30 a-32 b can be formed of a material that is not bendable. Examples of materials that are not bendable include, but are not limited to, plastics, metals, and alloys.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2C, the first portion 24 can be longer than the second portion 26. In such embodiments, the first portion 24 can be adapted for coupling to the neck portion 8 of a shirt 2, while the second portion 26 can be adapted for coupling to the collar portion 6 of the shirt 2.

In some embodiments, the first portion 24 is at least partially inserted into the first pocket 10 defined by the collar portion 6 and the second portion 26 is at least partially inserted into the second pocket 12 defined by the neck portion 8. The first portion 24 and the second portion 26 of the elongated strip 16 cooperate to maintain the collar portion 6 at a predetermined position and/or orientation with respect to the neck portion 8, as shown in FIGS. 3-5. In some embodiments, the angle between the first portion 24 and the second portion 26 can be increased and/or decreased to adjust the orientation and/or position of the collar portion 6 with respect to the neck portion 8. In some embodiments, the angle is selected such that the collar portion 6 is positioned in a position similar to the position of the collar portion 6 when a neck button is buttoned and/or a tie (not shown) is worn with the shirt 2.

In some embodiments, the collar control device 4 can be configured for insertion into only one of the first pocket 10 and/or the second pocket 12. For example, in some embodiments a shirt 2 can include the first pocket 10 and omit a second pocket 12. The first portion 24 of the collar control device 4 is at least partially inserted into the first pocket 10. The second portion 26 of the collar control device 4 rests against the neck portion 8 of the shirt 2 and is maintained by a friction or force fit. As another example, in some embodiments the shirt 2 omits the first pocket 10. The second portion 26 of the collar control device 4 is at least partially inserted into the second pocket 12. The first portion 24 of the collar control system rests against the collar portion 6 of the shirt 2 and maintains the collar portion 6 in a predetermined position and/or orientation with respect to the shirt 2.

In some embodiments, the collar control device 4 is hidden by the collar portion 6 of the shirt 2 when coupled to one of the first pocket 10 and/or the second pocket 12. For example, in some embodiments, the collar control device 4 is configured to maintain the collar portion 6 in a position that mimics the position of the collar portion 6 when a tie is worn with the shirt 2. The collar control device 4 is coupled to an underside of the collar portion 6 and is hidden by the collar portion 6. In some embodiments, the collar control device 4 is inserted into a first pocket 10 and/or a second pocket 12. The first pocket 10 and/or the second pocket 12 further conceal at least a portion of the collar control device 4. For example, in some embodiments, the first pocket 10 and/or the second pocket 12 are sized and configured to receive the entirety of the first portion 24 and/or the second portion 26 therein to conceal the entirety of the collar control device 4.

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate a collar 6 having a first side 6 a coupled to a collar control device 4 and a second side 6 b of the collar 6 without a collar control device 4. In some embodiments, the collar control device 4 positions the collar portion 6 of the shirt at a predetermined angle Θ and/or a predetermines spacing “A.” In some embodiments, the predetermined angle Θ and/or a predetermines spacing “A” is configured to position the collar portion 6 generally transverse and/or parallel to the neck portion 8. The predetermined angle Θ and/or the predetermined spacing ‘A’ can be measured between a bottom of the collar portion 6 and the neck portion 8. As shown in FIG. 3, when a collar control device 4 is not used, as in the second side 6 b of the collar portion 6, the collar portion 6 is positioned at an obtuse angle with respect to the neck portion 8 such that the collar portion 6 is almost perpendicular with the neck portion 8. The second side 6 b also has a large spacing ‘B’ between the bottom of the collar portion 6 and the neck portion 8. In contrast, the collar control device 4 positions the first side 6 a of the collar portion 6 at an acute angle with respect to the neck portion 8 and maintains a minimal spacing ‘A.’ In some embodiments the angle Θ and/or the spacing ‘A’ is selected such that the collar portion 6 is substantially parallel with the neck portion. In other embodiments, the angle Θ and/or the spacing ‘A’ is selected such that the collar portion 6 maintains a similar position to the position of the collar portion 6 when a tie (not shown) is worn with the shirt 2.

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate one embodiment of a shirt 2 a having a two-ply neck portion 8 a having a first hole 40 a formed through a first ply 42 configured to receive a portion of a collar control device 4 d. FIG. 7B illustrates a cross-section of the shirt 2 a having a collar control device 4 d coupled thereto. The collar control device 4 d is similar to the collar control devices 4-4 c discussed above, and similar description is not repeated herein. It will be appreciated that any of the collar control devices 4-4 d can be coupled to the shirt 2 a and are within the scope of this disclosure. The two-ply portion 8 a includes a first layer of material, or first ply, 42 coupled to a second layer of material, or second ply, 44. The first ply 42 defines a first hole 40 a, such as, for example, a button-style hole. The at first hole 40 a is sized and configured to receive a portion of a collar control device 4 d therein. In use, a portion of the collar control device 4 is inserted through the at least one hole 40 a such that a portion of the collar control device 4 (e.g., a portion of the second portion 26) is positioned between the first ply 42 and the second ply 44 of the two-ply portion 8 a. The first portion 24 of the collar control device 4 d is maintained in a relatively fixed position by the edges of the first hole 40 a and is hidden from view when the collar portion 6 a is folded down.

In some embodiments, the collar portion 6 a comprises a two-ply collar defining a second hole 40 b therethrough. The second hole 40 b is sized and configured to receive at least a portion of a collar control device 4 therein. In use, a portion of the collar control device 4 d (e.g., the first portion 24) is inserted through the second hole 40 b such that the first portion 24 is positioned between the first ply 44 b and the second ply 46 b of the collar portion 6 a. The second hole 40 b is hidden by the second, outer ply 46 b of the collar portion 6 a when the collar portion 6 a is folded down.

FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a two-ply shirt 2 b having a first hole 40 a and a second hole 40 b defined through a first ply 42 a of a two-ply neck portion 8 a. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a portion of a collar control device 4 is received through the first hole 40 a and the second hole 40 b. The collar control device 4 can be positioned such that the majority of the collar control device 4 is located between the first and second layers of the two-ply portion 8 a or can be positioned such that only a portion 4 a of the collar control device 4 is located between the layers of the two-ply collar (i.e., passing through both holes 40 a, 40 b). In some embodiments, the collar control device 4 can include one or more features sized and configured to prevent the collar control device 4 from slipping out of the first or second hole 40 a, 40 b. For example, in some embodiments, the collar control device 4 includes an expanded portion, such as a button-shaped portion, configured to prevent the collar control device 4 from traveling through the first or second holes 40 a, 40 b in a predetermined direction.

As used herein, “pocket” is intended to encompass both closed pockets and sleeves with open bottoms. Unless specified as a closed pocket, the term pocket is intended to encompass closed pockets, sleeves, and equivalents.

Although the subject matter has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments, which may be made by those skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A collar control system, comprising: a shirt including a collar portion coupled to a neck portion, wherein the collar portion defines a first pocket; and a collar control device comprising an elongated strip, having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end, and a bendable portion between the first end portion and the second end portion adapted for forming a transverse fold in the collar control device, wherein the first end is sized and configured to be received within the first pocket.
 2. The collar control system of claim 1, wherein the neck portion of the shirt comprises a second pocket, and wherein the second end of the elongated strip is sized and configured to be received within the second pocket.
 3. The collar control system of claim 2, wherein the elongated strip comprises a metal strip.
 4. The collar control system of claim 2, wherein the collar control device is sized and configured to maintain the collar portion of the shirt at a predetermined angle and/or spacing with respect to the neck portion of the shirt.
 5. The collar control system of claim 4, wherein the collar portion is positioned substantially transverse to the neck portion.
 6. The collar control system of claim 1, wherein the neck portion of the shirt includes a two-ply neck portion defining at least one hole, wherein the at least one hole defines an opening of the first pocket, and wherein the first pocket is located between a first ply and a second ply of the two-ply collar.
 7. The collar control system of claim 1, wherein the first end portion comprises a first rigid section and the second end portion comprises a second rigid section.
 8. The collar control system of claim 1, wherein the neck portion of the shirt comprises a sleeve, and wherein the second end of the elongated strip is sized and configured to be receive through the sleeve.
 9. A collar control system, comprising: a shirt including a collar portion coupled to a neck portion, wherein the neck portion comprises a first ply and a second ply, and wherein the first ply defines a first hole extending therethrough; a collar control device comprising an elongated strip having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and a bendable portion adapted for forming a transverse fold in the collar control device, wherein the transverse fold positions the first end at a selected angle with respect to the second end, wherein the first end of the collar control device is sized and configured to be received through the first hole.
 10. The collar control system of claim 9, wherein the collar control device is configured to position the collar portion at the selected angle with respect to the neck portion.
 11. The collar control system of claim 10, wherein the collar portion is positioned substantially over the first hole in the neck portion when the collar portion is positioned at the selected angle with respect to the neck portion.
 12. The collar control system of claim 9, wherein a portion of the first ply is coupled to a portion of the second ply to define a sleeve, and wherein the first hole defines a first end of the sleeve.
 13. The collar control system of claim 9, wherein the collar portion comprises a third ply and a fourth ply, wherein the third ply defines a second hole extending therethrough, and wherein the second end of the collar control device is sized and configured to be received through the second hole.
 14. The collar control system of claim 13, wherein a portion of the third ply is coupled to a portion of the fourth ply to define a sleeve, and wherein the second hole defines a first end of the sleeve.
 15. The collar control system of claim 9, wherein the elongated strip comprises a metal strip.
 16. The collar control system of claim 9, wherein first end portion comprises a first rigid section and the second end portion comprises a second rigid section.
 17. The collar control system of claim 9, wherein the collar control device is sized and configured to maintain the collar portion of the shirt folded at a predetermined angle and/or spacing with respect to the neck portion of the shirt.
 18. The collar control system of claim 17, wherein the first portion is positioned substantially transverse to the second portion.
 19. A shirt configured to receive a collar control device, the shirt comprising: a collar portion; a neck portion coupled to the collar portion, the neck portion comprising a first ply and a second ply, wherein the first ply defines a first hole sized and configured to receive a collar control device therein, and wherein the second ply includes a continuous surface positioned over the first hole; and a body portion extending from the neck portion.
 20. The shirt of claim 20, wherein the collar portion is configured to be positioned substantially over the first hole when the collar control device is coupled to the collar portion and the neck portion. 